Most Haunted Places

1. Winchester House

 This house was built by the wife of an heir to the Winchester rifle fortune. Sarah Winchester had a seeming obsession with ghosts, building continuously in an effort to confuse ghosts. She also built strange features into the home for this purpose (such as staircases going nowhere and doors opening to walls). She was known to hold regular seances and to use guidance from the spirits to determine the next building project on the home. The home was partially destroyed in an earthquake in 1906. The photos below show the home before and after that earthquake.

2. The White House

The White House is probably the most famous historic residence in the United States. It’s said to be haunted by the ghosts of several past U.S. presidents — most notably Abraham Lincoln.

3. Raynham Hall

Raynham Hall is located in Norfolk, England. It’s the home of one of the most famous ghost photographs of all time — that of the Brown Lady.

4. The Lizzie Borden House

This house (now a bed and breakfast) was the home of Lizzie Borden — famously tried and acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother with a hatchet. If you can’t visit this haunted house in person, you can view a short video tour on the inn’s website.

5. The Myrtles Plantation

This plantation home is said to house a dozen ghosts. Its most famous ghost is that of a slave named Chloe. However, there is no evidence she ever existed. There was one verified murder on the property though — that of William Winter, who was shot on the porch.

6. The Whaley House

The Whaley House in California was built on the site of former gallows. Because of this, the home is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of hanging victim, “Yankee Jim” Robinson. Ghosts of members of the Whaley family who died in the home have also been reported.

7. The LaLaurie House

This New Orleans mansion was the home of a terrible woman — Delphine LaLaurie — who was known to torture her slaves. The home is said to be haunted by the spirits of some of these slaves.

8. Loftus Hall

Ireland’s Loftus Hall is not only supposedly haunted, but it’s the only home on our list currently abandoned and boarded up — out of the reach of curiosity seekers. This home was rumored to have been visited by the devil himself. However, that story is rooted in the original building. The one currently on the premises was built after the original home’s exorcism and later demolition.

9. Rose Hall

This Jamaican plantation home is said to be haunted by the ghost of Annie Palmer, better known as the White Witch. She was thought to be tied to the practice of voodoo, and is believed to be responsible in some way for the death of three husbands. She herself was supposedly murdered in the house during a slave uprising.

10. The Borley Rectory

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This English rectory was dubbed “the most haunted house in England” by paranormal investigator, Harry Price. Everything from ghostly footprints and the ghost of a nun to headless horsemen have been reportedly witnessed at the Borley Rectory

Berry Pomeroy Castle, Totness

There are a number of legends associated with this 14th-century castle, and it has a reputation of being haunted. It has 2 famous female ghosts; the White Lady and the Blue Lady. According to legend the White Lady is the spirit of Margaret Pomeroy, who starved to death while imprisoned in the dungeons by her jealous sister. Apparently she haunts the dark dungeons, and rises from St Margaret’s Tower to the castle walls. The Blue Lady is not confined to specific areas and is supposed to lure people into parts of the ruin. Apparently it’s a very bad idea to follow her!

Dominican Hill, Baguio City, Philippines.

According to some people the ghosts of people who were killed during the war haunt this place. Some say the patients who died here despite having the hope to be alive turned into ghosts. Hearing the banging of doors, windows, clattering of dishes and screaming voices during night are reported by people.

Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

 

This magnificent castle is typically medieval, perched atop a rocky crag, giving it an amazing vista of  Scottish hills. But inside the empty halls and narrow streets of Edinburgh, there are the echoes of the dead. At least, that’s what has been reported. Hot spots for specters include the castle’s prison cells, the South Bridge vaults and Mary’s King Close, a disused street used to quarantine and eventually entomb victims of the plague. There are also reports of ghost dogs, a headless drummer, and the bodies of prisoners taken during the French seven-year war and the American War of Independence.

Monte Cristo, New South Wales, Australia

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Monte Cristo, Australia’s most haunted mansion is located in Junee, New South Wales. Mrs Crawley, the owner of the house never came out of her home after the death of her husband in 23 years of her remaining life except for two times. After her death her ghost haunts the place particularly her former room. Bodiless ghost, phantom face in the window, floating apparition, strange and ghostly voices, automatic turning on and off lights are some haunting experiences of the people. Some people reported that when they entered the boy’s bed room they were breathless and turned purple and almost died, they became normal after coming out from the room.

Ancient Ram Inn, Gloucestershire, England

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Whether you believe in ghosts or not, a trip to the Ancient Ram Inn is an unsettling experience. Its creaky floorboards, cold bare walls, musty smells and dimly lit nooks and crannies epitomise everything a haunted house should be. And the stories attached to this creepy building are not for the fainthearted: Murder, satanism and child sacrifice are just a few of the dark deeds said to have occurred here, oh and did we mention apparently it’s built on a pagan burial ground? 

Highgate Cemetery, North London, England

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 By night, Highgate Cemetery is like something out of a horror movie. Eerie crooked gravestones, headless angles covered in ivy, dark overgrown passages between the tombs, it’s no wonder this is Britain’s number-one ghost spot. Despite it’s chilling atmosphere, by day Highgate Cemetery showcases some of the Britain’s most spectacular Gothic architecture, offers fascinating guided tours. It’s also the burial place of Karl Marx.

 

Bhangarh Fort, India

 

Bhangarh Fort is on way from Jaipur to Alwar in Rajasthan, India. According to a legend, Singhia, a black magic tantrik cursed the palace that everybody would die in the palace and their souls will stay there for centuries without rebirth. Another interesting point is, all the houses in this area are without roofs because whenever a house is built with roof, the roof collapses. This is the called most haunting place in India. People who visit this place experience anxiety and restlessness. It is said that nobody returns from this place that stays there after dark. Government prohibited this area from staying after sunset. You will find a board installed by Archaeological Survey of India displaying “Staying after sunset is strictly prohibited in this area”.

Screaming Tunnel, Niagara Falls, Ontario

  

The haunting of the Screaming Tunnel is one of Niagara Falls’ most enduring legends. Located off Warner Road, the tunnel runs under the railway tracks that link Niagara Falls to Toronto and New York City. According to local legend, over a century ago, a farm house located just past the south entrance to the tunnel caught fire one night. A young girl, her clothes engulfed in flames, fled screaming from the house. She ran through the tunnel in an attempt to extinguish her garments but collapsed and died on the tunnel floor. A variation of this story has the girl set ablaze in the tunnel by her enraged father when he learned his wife had won custody of their children during an nasty divorce battle. Another version tells of a young girl who was raped inside the tunnel and her body burned to cover the evidence. All these stories allege that if you stand in the middle of the dark tunnel at midnight and light a match, the flame will go out and a girl’s screams will be heard.

Ohio University,  Athens, America

  

Ohio University is known in state folklore as the most haunted college campus. A large number of places on campus are said to be haunted, and numerous other popular tales are told about the university across Athens county. The British Society for Psychical Research claims that Athens, Ohio, is one of the most haunted places in the world. Wilson Hall, famous for a girl (a supposed witch)who killed herself moments after writing satanic and supernatural things on the wall in her own blood. The five cemetaries that form a pentagram that surrounds the campus, with the administrative building being in the center of the devil’s sign. Washington Hall, which is famous for housing a team of basketball players who all died in a terrible crashm their ghosts still haunt the hall, and you can sometimes hear them dribbling. The catacombs of Jefferson Hall, where numerous ghost sightings have occurred. And finally, for The Ridges, an abandoned insane asylum that was known for thousands of labotamies and electro shock treatments. Also, a patient who disappeared, and was found five weeks later, her body decomposed onto the floor and left a stain that outlines her body. This stain can still be seen today.

Changi Beach, Singapore 

 

Changi Beach served as a popular killing ground for the Japanese during the Sook Ching massacre of The Second World War. Thousands of Chinese were tortured and killed during this Operation as they were suspected of being anti-Japanese. Strange crying and screaming are reported by people. The heads of the Chinese dead bodies are sometimes seen flying everywhere and headless bodies walk around the beach. The scariest thing is that the ghosts leave blood stains. During nights people observe dug holes that appear as if they were used for burying bodies.

 

The Queen Mary

Long Beach, California

   

This grand old ship is quite haunted, according to the many people who have worked on and visited the craft. Once a celebrated luxury ocean liner, when it ended its sailing days the Queen Mary was purchased by the city of Long Beach, California in 1967 and transformed into a hotel.

The most haunted area of the ship is the engine room where a 17-year-old sailor was crushed to death trying to escape a fire. Knocking and banging on the pipes around the door has been heard and recorded by numerous people. In what is now the front desk area of the hotel, visitors have seen the ghost of a "lady in white."
Ghosts of children are said to haunt the ship's pool. The spirit of a young girl, who allegedly broke her neck in an accident at the pool, has been heard asking for her mother or her doll. In the hallway of the pool's changing rooms is an area of unexplained activity. Furniture moves about by itself, people feel the touch of unseen hands and unknown spirits appear. In the front hull of the ship, a specter can sometimes be heard screaming - the pained voice, some believe, of a sailor who was killed when the Queen Mary collided with a smaller ship.

Eastern State Penitentiary

 

Eastern State Penitentiary has become a favorite destination for ghost hunters as well as the public at large since it has been opened to tours. Built in 1829, the imposing Gothic structure was originally designed to hold 250 inmates in solitary confinement. At the height of its use, however, as many as 1,700 prisoners were crammed into the cells. Like many such places of high emotional stress, misery and death, the prison has become haunted.
One of its most famous inmates was none other than Al Capone, was was incarcerated there on illegal weapons possession in 1929. During his stay, it is said that Capone was tormented by the ghost of James Clark, one of the men Capone had murdered in the infamous St. Valentine's Day massacre.
Other reported haunting activity includes:

• A shadow-like figure that scoots quickly away when approached.
• A figure that stands in the guard tower.
• An evil cackling reportedly comes from cellblock 12.
• In cellblock 6, another shadowy figure has been seen sliding down the wall.
• Mysterious, ghostly faces are said to appear in cellblock 4.

Unfortunately, not all of these cells are open to the public, even on the tours.

The Tower of London

London, England 

 

The Tower of London, one of the most famous and well-preserved historical buildings in the world, may also be one of the most haunted. This is due, no doubt, to the scores of executions, murders and tortures that have taken place within its walls over the last 1,000 years. Dozens upon dozens of ghost sightings have been reported in and around the Tower. On one winter day in 1957 at 3 a.m., a guard was disturbed by something striking the top of his guardhouse. When he stepped outside to investigate, he saw a shapeless white figure on top of the tower. It was then realized that on that very same date, February 12, Lady Jane Grey was beheaded in 1554.

Perhaps the most well-known ghostly resident of the Tower is the spirit of Ann Boleyn, one of the wives of Henry VIII, who was also beheaded in the Tower in 1536. Her ghost has been spotted on many occasions, sometimes carrying her head, on Tower Green and in the Tower Chapel Royal.
Other ghosts of the Tower include those of Henry VI, Thomas a Becket and Sir Walter Raleigh. One of the most gruesome ghost stories connected with the Tower of London describes death of the Countess of Salisbury. According to one account, "the Countess was sentenced to death in 1541 following her alleged involvement in criminal activities (although it is now widely believed that she was probably innocent). After being sent struggling to the scaffold, she ran from the block and was pursued until she was hacked to death by the axe man." Her execution ceremony has been seen re-enacted by spirits on Tower Green.

The Myrtles Plantation

St. Francisville, Louisiana

   

Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, this stately old home on Myrtles Plantation is said to be haunted be several restless ghosts. Some researchers say as many as ten murders have been committed there, but others, such as Troy Taylor and David Wisehart, have only been able to confirm one murder at Myrtles. (Those two authors provide a very good history of the house in their article, The Legends, Lore & Lies of The Myrtles Plantation).

Even they agree, however, that the place is seriously haunted and easily qualifies as one of the "most haunted." These are some of the ghosts that allegedly haunt the house:

• Chloe – a former slave who was allegedly hung on the premises for killing two little girls. (Those murders and even the existence of Chloe are in question.)
• The ghosts of the two murdered children have been seen playing on the veranda.
• William Drew Winter – an attorney who lived at Myrtles from 1860 to 1871. He was shot on the side porch of the house by a stranger. With his life's blood pouring from his body, Winter staggered into the house and began to climb the stairs to the second floor... but didn't make it. He collapsed and died on the 17th step. It is his last dying footsteps that can still be heard on the staircase to this day. (Winter's murder is the only one that has been verified.)
• The ghosts of other slaves allegedly occasionally show up to ask if they can do any chores.
• The grand piano has often been heard to play by itself, repeating one haunting chord.

Now a bed and breakfast, The Myrtles Plantation has opened its doors to guests who often report disturbances in the night. My colleague, Stacey Jones, founder of Central New York Ghost Hunters, reports on her stay there:
"It was a spectacular place to stay, if you keep an open mind. While taking the guided tour, I saw what looked like a heavyset African-American woman wearing an apron walk by the door, on the porch. Thinking it was a worker in period dress, I peeked out and no one was there. We stayed in the children's bedroom, and my best-friend (who was a non-believer at the time) experienced quite a bit of paranormal phenomena. She was held down in the bed and constantly poked all night. She was unable to move or cry out for help. She didn't think the stay was as great as I did. They let you ghost hunt on the grounds whenever you like, but you can't ghost hunt in the main house without an escort. I suggest setting up a video camera in your room and bring a tape recorder to obtain EVP."

Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Louisville, Kentucky

   

The original Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a two-story wooden structure, was opened in 1910, but the larger brick and concrete structure as it stand today was completed in 1926. The hospital was always dedicated to the treatment of tuberculosis patients, a disease that was fairly common in the early 20th Century.

It is estimated that as many as 63,000 people died as the sanatorium. Those deaths coupled with the reports of severe mistreatment of patients and highly questionable experiments and procedures are ingredients for a haunted location.

Ghost investigators who have ventured into Waverly have reported a host of strange paranormal phenomena, including voices of unknown origin, isolated cold spots and unexplained shadows. Screams have been heard echoing in its now abandoned hallways, and fleeting apparitions have been encountered.
In the article, Those That Linger, by Keith Age, Jay Gravatte and Troy Taylor, you can read more about these investigators' experiences.

The Whaley House

San Diego, California

 

Located in San Diego, California, the Whaley House has earned the title of "the most haunted house in the U.S." Built in 1857 by Thomas Whaley on land that was partially once a cemetery, the house has since been the locus of dozens of ghost sightings.

Author deTraci Regula relates her experiences with the house: "Over the years, while dining across the street at the Old Town Mexican Cafe, I became accustomed to noticing that the shutters of the second-story windows [of the Whaley House] would sometimes open while we ate dinner, long after the house was closed for the day. On a recent visit, I could feel the energy in several spots in the house, particularly in the courtroom, where I also smelled the faint scent of a cigar, supposedly Whaley's calling-card. In the hallway, I smelled perfume, initially attributing that to the young woman acting as docent, but some later surreptitious sniffing in her direction as I talked to her about the house revealed her to be scent-free."
Some of the other ghostly encounters include:

• The spirit of a young girl who was accidentally hanged on the property.
• The ghost of Yankee Jim Robinson, a thief who was clubbed to death and who can be heard on the house's stairway where he died, and has sometimes been seen during tours of the old house.
• The red-haired daughter of the Whaley's sometimes appears in such a realistic form; she is sometimes mistaken for a live child.

Famed psychic Sybil Leek claimed to have sensed several spirits there, and renowned ghost hunter Hanz Holzer considered the Whaley to be one of the most reliably haunted structures in the United States.

Rolling Hills Asylum

E. Bethany, New York

 

Located between Buffalo and Rochester, Rolling Hills Asylum's enormous 53,000+ sq. ft. brick building sits on a knoll in the hamlet of E. Bethany, N.Y. and has been a popular destination for ghost hunters for many years. Opened on January 1, 1827 and originally named The Genesee County Poor Farm, it was created by Genesee County to house those eligible for assistance including paupers, habitual drunkards, lunatics, the blind, lame or otherwise handicapped, orphans, widows, vagrants, and even a murderer or two. In the 1950s it became the Old County Home & Infirmary, and then in the 1990s was transformed into a set of shops and later an antiques mall. When the property owners, vendors and shoppers began to notice strange occurrences, a paranormal group was called into investigate and Rolling Hills' spooky reputation was born. Reports include disembodied voices, doors mysteriously held shut, screams in the night, shadow people and more.

Rolling Hills Case Manager, Suzie Yencer relates one chilling experience: "It was September 2007. While working a public hunt, we had a gentleman with us that was filming a documentary about the building. He wanted to try an experiment in one of the rooms. The room he chose was in the basement, popularly known as The Christmas Room. The experiment he wanted to try was to sit in the room with no lights or equipment on. The only light we would use was a pink glow stick in the middle of a circle of people. We also placed a small ball and a toddler size rocking horse in the circle. The gentleman conducting the experiment requested that only I talk and try to make contact with the spirits. The more I talked, the more strange occurrences began to happen. The glow stick started to move back and forth, and the rocking horse began to slowly rock. A few of the guests in the room including myself saw a hand and arm come out of nowhere and reach for the ball in the circle and then just vanish...."

Gettysburg Battlefield

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

 

Few would argue that Gettysburg Battlefield is one of the most haunted places in the U.S. As the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, nearly 8,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed and tens of thousands more were injured there on July 3, 1863. There have been numerous sightings of ghost soldiers, sounds of battle, recorded EVP and even video.

• Visitors to the park have reported seeing and even talking to these phantoms from the past only to have them mysteriously vanish.
• Screams and moans, the sounds of gun and cannon fire -- all echoes from the horrific battle are occasionally heard and even recorded.
• One of the most compelling ghost videos ever recorded was shot at Triangular Field by Tom Underwood in 2001.

Ghost encounters are also common in the period buildings surrounding the battlefield, including the Farnsworth House Inn and at Gettysburg College. The experiences continue up to the present day, and the area is well worth a visit, not only for its haunted reputation but also for its historical significance.

 

Moss Beach Distillery

Moss Beach, California

  

Brief history: During Prohibition in the 1920s, the Moss Beach Distillery in Moss Beach, California became one of the most popular speakeasies on the West Coast when it was known as "Frank's Place," frequented by silent film stars drinking its illegal booze. After Prohibition, the place continued as a successful restaurant, which it remains today.
Ghosts: The Blue Lady is the Distillery's most famous ghost and has been investigated by such prominent ghost hunters as Loyd Auerbach as well as the Unsolved Mysteries TV show. According to legend, in the 1930s a beautiful young woman, possibly named Cayte, fell for a piano player of questionable character and they began an affair, even though she was already married. She was killed by an unknown assailant on the nearby beach, and it is thought that her spirit -- dressed in blue -- still searches for her lover.
Ghostly activity reported by guests and restaurant staff includes:

• Sightings of the Blue Lady herself
• A levitating checkbook
• Doors that impossibly lock from the inside
• Mysterious phone calls
• Disappearing earrings that later show up in one place
• Glassware moving
• During his 1999 investigation, Loyd Auerbach reports that he experienced the ghost "walking through" him several times
• Anomalous magnetic field and temperature changes.

Note: The Distillery has various haunting "effects" set up throughout the restaurant, and these were "discovered" in the Ghost Hunters episode about Moss Beach. But as Loyd Auerbach points out in his article, "A Visit Does Not an Investigation Make," he (and others) have written about these effects well before the Ghost Hunters visit, and the genuine haunting activity has been reported and investigated before these effects were installed -- since the 1930s.

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Los Angeles, California

  

Brief history: Located on Hollywood Boulevard and opened for business in 1927, the Roosevelt Hotel is one of the most famous hotels in Los Angeles and one of the most haunted places in the world. It has long been a hangout for Hollywood's biggest stars, and the popularity of its trendy Teddy's nightclub still attracts the glitterati.
Ghosts: The Roosevelt is nearly as famous for its big-name ghosts, including Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift. Haunting activity includes:

• Marilyn Monroe's ghost has been seen reflected in a mirror in room 229 and dancing in the hotel's ballroom.
• Montgomery Clift's ghost is thought to haunt room 928, where he stayed whilte filming From Here to Eternity, and can still be heard playing his trumpet. His spirit has also been spotted on the eighth floor.
• One guest who stayed in room 928 felt patting on her shoulder by an unseen hand as she lay in bed reading.
• There is an eerie cold spot in the Blossom Ballroom that is about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the room.
• The ghost of a man dressed in white has been seen standing near a piano in the Blossom Ballroom. When guests approached the man, after hearing piano music, he vanished before their eyes.
• The ghost of glamorous movie star Carole Lombard, wife of Clark Gable, has been spotted on the 12th floor, where she and Gable often stayed.
• Former Saturday Night Live cast member Ana Gasteyer, while staying one of the hotels's suites, encountered a piano that played by itself and the full-body apparition of a maid in a hall closet.
• Security guards have seen a ghost at the hotel's pool. It could be seen on security cameras, but when a guard went to check it, he could see no one -- although it still appeared on the security monitor.
• The ghost of a pony-tailed little girl named Caroline has been seen skipping and singing around the fountain in the lobby.
• Guests returned to their rooms only to find them locked from the inside. 

• Sallie House

  Atchison, Kansas

   

The Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas quickly earned a national reputation as one of the most haunted places in the U.S. -- almost certainly the most haunted in the state of Kansas. The rather simple-looking painted brick house at 508 N. Second Street, built between 1867 and 1871, gives no indication from the street of its spooky reputation, but the many experiences of those who lived there are have subsequently investigated the place testify as to its ghostly vibes -- mostly of the negative kind.
The house was brought to national attention when Debra and Tony Pickman lived there from 1992 to 1994 and had many distrubing encounters, including physical attacks on Tony, which were documented by the Sightings television show. It's called the Sallie house because the daughter of some previous tenents had an imaginary friend named Sallie, and she is beleived to be one of the spirits haunting the house. When Tony Pickman drew a picture of the ghost Sallie he had seen, the daughter identified it as her friend, Sallie. (Coincidentally -- or not -- people who owned the house in the 1940s had a daughter named Sallie, although she did not die in the house or at a young age.)
HAUNTING ACTIVITY
The Pickmans experience much phenomena, including:

• Wall-hung pictures turned upside-down
• Strangely melted candles and burnt finger marks
• Multiple photo anomalies
• Tony had an actual sighting of Sallie on Halloween morning, 1993
• While napping, Tony heard of woman's voice say, "Here's your remote," as the TV remote control was placed on his chest by unseen hands
• During the first Sightings taping, Tony received three bloody scratches on his arm
• One night Tony dreamed that he was being pulled out of bed by his wrist by a little girl. Upon waking he found burn marks on his wrist that were much like the fingerprints of a small child.

The Kansas Parnaormal Group has extensively researched and investigated the Sallie House over the years and may be primarily responsible for labeling the haunting as "probably demonic" because of the many violent incidents.
The house continues to be a focal point for investigations by ghost hunting groups from all over the country, who report strange activity, EVP, and other phenomena. On Friday the 13th, 2012, a 72-hour investigation was broadcast live on the internet, the replay of which you can find here.